PROV-ISSUE-85 (What-is-Entity): Definition of Entity is confusing, maybe over-complex [Conceptual Model]
http://www.w3.org/2011/prov/track/issues/85
Raised by: Graham Klyne
On product: Conceptual Model
See also: http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-prov-wg/2011Aug/0383.html
Section 5.1.
The definition of "Entity" seems to introduce un-needed complications. I don't see anything here that fundamentally distinguishes an entity from anything that can be named, i.e. a web resource.
I don't see what useful purpose is served by the insistence on "characterized thing".
This section seems to spend more effort describing "entity assertion" is is apparently a different concept, but not formally part of the model. There is some sense that an entity must have associated entity assertions... but I can't see why this is needed, and indeed it may be not possible to enforce this idea in RDF's open world model.
There's been talk of Entities being part of the occurrent vs continuant distinction, but I'm not seeing that explained.
Suggest: why not just have an entity as an identifiable thing, and build the rest around that? What would break with this approach?